Academia as Partner in Organizational Change

Abstract

Partnerships are valuable strategies for promoting organizational change. Collaboration between academia and service can provide rapid access to new clinical service delivery mechanisms and real-world laboratories for implementing and testing novel approaches to care delivery. Academic-service partnerships also provide opportunities for work force development. One example of a partnership is described in this article. Details of a Nursing Care Management Institute illustrate principles of good practice for community-campus partnerships.

Education/Community Collaborations for Undergraduate Nursing Gerontological Clinical Experiences

“…Nursing education/community collaborations benefit students, older adult clients, nursing education programs, and health care agencies. Successful collaborations require commitment, cooperation, and communication (Hegyvary, 1991;Sebastian, Davis, & Chappell, 1998;Sylvestor & Mctavish, 1998). Nursing educators and community collaborators must share a commitment to high-quality geriatric education for students and high-quality nursing care for elderly patients.…”

Developing Nurse Leaders in Health Policy: An Education and Practice Partnership

“…Creating a partnership between education and practice allows for practical application of theory. The literature is replete with examples of academic and health system partnerships for clinical services (Beitz & Heinzer, 1999;Busby et al, 1996;Campbell, Prater, Schwartz, &Ridenour, 2001;Citrin, 2001;Hewlett & Eichelberger, 1999;Kee, 2001;Malloch & Laeger, 1997;McNamara, 2000;Nalle, Brown, & Herrin, 2001;Pettee, 2002;Sebastian, Davis, & Chappell, 1996;Simpson, 2001;Trofino, Marek, & Zwygart-Stauffacher, 2000), but partnerships to develop leaders with skills in policy and politics are rare.…”

Essential Concepts in Developing Community–University Partnerships CareLink: The Partners in Caring Model*

“…The essential concepts of the model, as well as the principles described, are supported by others (Henry et al, 1992;Sebastian et al, 1998;Sylvester et al, 1998). A pattern seems to be emerging on the centrality of such concepts as open communication, sharing of power, and commitment to and trust on the development of partnerships that work and are sustainable.…”

“…They also report the need for both physical and emotional commitment, as well as the importance of establishing ground rules for ownership of data and other products. Sebastian, Davis, and Chapell (1998) identified seven principles in good partnerships. These principles included concepts of trust, commitment, respect, genuineness, and accessible communication.…”